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Monday, December 31, 2007

We finally got done shooting pictures of all of the Arabian horses and it was time to pack up my mares and foals to take them back home. All of them were exhausted and glad to be going back to their familiar territory, I think. Each horse loaded like it was an old pro.

I always have to laugh when I bring horses back home. Every horse in my herd has something to say about the return. Some are angry they every left in the first place. Some are glad to see old friends. Some have questions.......where ya been, what'd ya do?? It's always amazing to hear the varied discourse and try to figure out what conversations are going on.

Legs particularly has a lot to say. He doesn't like it when his mares leave and he's really glad to see they have returned. But the stallion doesn't overlook his foals. If they have left the farm, he really checks them over carefully upon their return.

Normally Legs talks playfully with his kids. He nods his head and urges them to come close to say "hello." The whole time he is checking them out to be sure that each is ok.

On this particular day, I think that Legs was concerned about Rhythm too. Normally, the stallion would face box with the red colt given the opportunity. He wouldn't be mean but he definitely played as rough with the colt as the colt liked!

But today,Rhythm was quiet and so was his dad. I glanced over to see the red colt leaning up against his father's neck, standing with his eyes closed. Legs had a concerned look on his face as he gently nuzzled the colt. I remember watching this exchange and being even more concerned about the injury to this colt's head.

It turned out the vet couldn't make it until in the morning. I got up several times during the night to check on the condition of this colt. Other than being extremely quiet, Rhythm seemed to be doing ok. He was eating hay with his mom and nursing plenty as well. I was just going to have to wait for the vet to diagnosis this injury.

When the vet did arrive, she palpated all around this ugly knot on Rhythm's face. She checked him over carefully for signs of a concussion. Since she already had experience with this colt, she was convinced judging from his quiet demeanor that he had a concussion. How severe that concussion was only time would tell.

Talk about feeling like a heel, we'd gone ahead and stressed this colt by taking pictures when he'd just suffered some kind of head injury. No wonder he had that worried or pained expression on his sweet face. If I could have taken those last 36 hours back, I'd have done it in a minute.

Concussion wasn't the vet's only concern. She was pretty sure because of the size and scope of the injury, that there were fractures involved. If that was the case, there was concern about the location of this injury. It was right near, if not on a growth plate.

I clearly remember that awful feeling in the pit of my stomach when the vet mentioned the growth plate. Without her even saying anything more I knew what we were facing. If there was a fracture through a growth plate, I was going to be losing another colt.

And not just any old colt, another "once in a lifetime" kind of horse like Image had been. The only difference to me between these two colts was that Image had been in my pocket. He hadn't been just a fantastic colt, he had been a fantastic friend. Rhythm was the kind of colt that could make Legs's name as a breeding stallion and put my little breeding farm on the Arabian show horse map.

Happy New Year~!What a fantastic job with the shots- the horses look incredible. Your website is also beautiful! Nice job. Hope the colt heals up quick... will check back for updates on him AND your twins!

MiKael, MiKael MiKael, how can you leave us hanging and on New Years too! Now I am going to worry until tomorrow because you always post after I have turned in for the night because of the time difference.

Lordy...I got a knot in my stomach just reading the story. I don't like to see any animal hurt or injured and worry to death that birds flying in here will run into something. I know the animals in your care are in the best place so I should not worry.

I like your photo selection today. Beautiful horses.

I also wanted to thank you for all of the visits to my blog in 2007. And to wish you and your family a Happy and Healthy 2008 from me and Patty.

When I was a kid we had horses and I had an Arabian. Here name was Tobias but I called her Toby. She was white and oh my gosh could she run when given free reign. I loved her. She was my buddy. Everything was simple then to just saddle up and ride her...I wish for a life like that again. It's been gosh, 25 years since I've been on a horse I bet. I miss that feeling.

You are blessed to be with these magnificent creatures everyday. Truly blessed indeed.

Thanks for stopping by today! Your horses are beautiful! I could spend days photographing them if I were there! I am gonna spend days looking at all these awesome pictures of them now that I found your blog! Please stop back anytime to my place. And yes, I agree, many of the Santas look scary too!

L, Rhythm was a trial, that was for sure. I'm going to be continuing on with more of his particular story. You won't believe what happens next.

wiola, I'm with you about Arabians and their presence and human like expressions, that is why I am so addicted to them.

mrs mom, nice to see you hear. I will be telling Rhythm's story specifically for a bit. I haven't done an update on the twins in a while, it is definitely overdue, I will have to see if I can get some current pics and do an update on thema as well. They are soooo sweet.

lori, lori, lori, I wouldn't want to disappoint you!! LOL

abraham, me either, I hate to see any animal hurt. But it's even harder when it's one of the babies you've raised. Just telling the story brings up the old feelings. This was such a scary time.

I'd like to thank you for being one of my regular readers as well. I feel quite honored to have been mentioned in one of your posts.

wonderful world of weiners, Yupe I know what you mean, those meme's over and over are killing me! LOL

If you ever get to our neck of the woods, feel free to drop in, we love visitors and sharing our horses.

victoria cummings, the very same to you!! I'm looking forward to a great year.